Son of Mordor - The New Dark Lord
by Sebaspe
Summary: "17 years had passed since the destruction of the One Ring. Nevertheless a new dark lord has risen, the son of Sauron. Which is his goal? Is he planing the same of his father? Or something less dark? (Still In-progress)
1. Chapter 1

"17 years had passed since the destruction of the One Ring. With no war it is now easy to move from every place of the Middle Earth world. Nevertheless a new dark lord has risen, the son of Sauron. Which is his goal? Is he planing the same of his father? Or something less dark? Will he accomplish it? How will the world react?"

**Disclaimer: I don't own Middle Earth world, jut the characters of this fanfiction.**

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><p>Chapter 1<p>

At the late afternoon, a hooded young man with a brown light armor and a tall man wearing a full body gray armor, were walking across Firientholt Forest, at east of the lands of Rohan. The name of the young man was Zan-Bolvag and the black armored man was Galvosh.

"Can you see anything?" asked Galvosh looking at his young partner. After a few seconds he answered.

"No, but I sense them" responded Zan drawing his one hand mace. With this signal Galvosh drew also his big two-hand sword preparing for battle.

A few seconds passed until they heard a big shout from above, from the trees. A thin man with light armor and two daggers jumped from a tall branch with the aim of striking his daggers in Galvosh, who seemed to be the strongest of the pair.

Galvosh managed to jump back with an impossible speed for somebody wearing that kind of armor. At the same time, Zan avoided an arrow that was going for his neck.

"_First, let's take him out_" and Zan started running in the direction where the first arrow was thrown, with his full speed and barely avoiding more projectiles. "_He got good aim but is slow reloading the arrow and aiming the bow_". Zan smiled, "_This will be easier than I thought_".

He localized the archer, who was in a branch 4 meters above the ground, and before his enemy could aim another arrow, he jumped to another tree. Then propelling from this tree with his legs, he jumped again and managed to reach the branch in which the archer was standing.

Raising his little but strong mace, Zan destroy the branch from its root. The archer, with a shriek fall to the ground a stayed there, unconscious. It was very different from Zan, who landed totally save and sound. Although the movements made his hood fall reveling a white skin and an extremely dark black spiked hair. And also a little pointy ears.

Without wasting time, Zan headed back to where he left Galvosh. As he was expecting, the first guy of the daggers was already in the floor with his stomach half-opened. At that precise moment Galvosh was fighting against six other bandits.

"_Ok, he needs a little help_" thought Zan while running toward the fighters.

He jump and gave a flying kick against the back of one the bandits throwing to the floor and getting on his back. Zan punched at the back of his head with his left fist where he had an iron gauntlet that covered from the beginning of the fingers until almost the elbow. The others noticed about Zan presence. With that moment of distraction Galvosh stabbed in the chest one of the bandits.

"_2 more, 4 to go_" thought Zan while he advanced to the nearer one.

"An elf?" doubted this bandit as even the war had ended many years ago, seeing elves was still something not common.

"Half-elf" answered Zan with a smile.

"I DON'T CARE IF IT IS AN ELF, HUMAN, OR WHATEVER THING YOU ARE! YOU DIE NOW!" yelled the bandit as he move his rusty old sword up and down to cut the half-elf in two.

"_That's easy_" thought Zan when he just lifted his left hand with the gauntlet. Using a bit of his secret power he activate the mechanism of the artifact. Two triangles formed at the sides of Zan's left arm transforming his gauntlet in a hexagonal shield. "_Too easy to block_". He smiled.

The sword of the bandit collide with the shield, but only managed to move in a few millimeters. Zan using this aperture gave the bandit with a reverse of his left arm, moving his sword and hitting his face with his back fist. The bandit was pushed to the left so Zan focused on the other. They run into each other.

The bandit try to stab the half-elf with his sword, but Zan saw through the attack and with a horizontal strike of his black mace shattered the sword before it could reach its target. The half-elf gave another horizontal strike, this time hitting the side of the stunned bandit and making him to collapse to the floor in agony. Finally Zan ended his life with a direct hit to his head with the mace.

Zan moved to the bandit he first hit. The criminal attacked furiously after seeing his partner dying in the hands of the half-elf guy. Zan avoided the sword of the bandit bending down and from that position hit his stomach with his mace breaking many his ribs, and maybe a few organs as the bandit wasn't wearing even a light armor. When this bandit fell to the floor, the half-elf ended him as the same way he did with other.

"Hey Galvosh, did you finished?" asked Zan.

"Me? Yes, but you don't" said Galvosh as he pointed the spot where the archer was lying unconscious. "I even finished for you the one you hit in the back".

The half-elf sighed and went to finish the archer. When he came back he was crestfallen with a serious expression. Galvosh seeing this, he patted Zan back.

"We are now mercenaries, and mercenaries have to kill" Galvosh said as he removed his full helmet reveling a smile. "Also kings have to kill to protect their people, your majesty".

Zan looked at his face. The full armored man wasn't a human, and he already knew that. He was an orc.

"Put that back on" said Zan as he put himself an upset expression. "And don't call me like that. We aren't in Mordor".

"If the mighty king of Mordor commands that" said Galvosh ironically as he putted his helmet back on. "Just don't forget who you truly are".

Zan started to head on deeper into the forest in search of the other bandits which they were paid to kill and Galvosh walked right behind him.

"_I am the King of Mordor, son of Sauron"_ just 17 years old Zan reminded to himself. "_And I got a mission to do_".

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><p>Hello everyone!<p>

This is my first fanfic and I hope you enjoyed it or got interested for the rest. For this story I will be using content from both, the books and the movies as I have experienced both.

Second: English isn't my first language and although I have a good level at my school I know there will be some mistakes and spelling errors. So I would like you to point me at the comments about them in order correct them and for my future writings.

Third: Any type of suggestions or opinions will be very well received (indeed I want them). The protagonist, Zan, I don't quite sure how to develop him. First I was thinking of making him a dramatic character who is trying to bury his own darkness and only smiles few times on the story... but now I am more willing to make him a funny character who like to smile always, but is afraid of releasing his dark power and becoming as his father. In a few words a good guy that when he gets pissed off almost can't control himself and his power... so leave me your suggestions and if I like them I will follow them.

4th: Maybe in the next chapters I am going to put links to drawing I make for the story. They aren't going to be masterpieces but still will help you understand some things as the strange weaponry I made for this story. In this I need your help. I really don't know if it is OK to put links in the chapters. Could you tell me way to maybe link my profile to another page as my Google Drive. I have a lot of space so it wouldn't be a problem to make a special carpet for drawings for you to see.

I don't know if I said everything I wanted but for now is ok. Again, I hope you enjoyed it!


	2. Chapter 2

Sorry for the delay :( There you got the continuation. Thank you for reading!

**Disclaimer: I don't own Middle Earth Tolkien's world, jut the characters of this fanfiction.**

Chapter 2

Zan-Bolvag and Galvosh went deeper into the forest until they saw a small old wooden shack. This shack was almost in ruins, the roof seemed to be falling at any moment and it was full of termite's holes. Nevertheless, it was still habitable.

"Are you ready Zan? The rest of the band must be hiding there" asked Galvosh.

"Always" responded Zan lifting his mace over his head. With a single strike the door of the shack blow up into many rusty pieces of wood. Both men waited for the bandits to come out.

"I hope they don't entrench there" said Galvosh with pessimism, as they both knew that it could be very dangerous to enter a close space by a small entrance without knowing what was inside.

The half-elf didn't answer. There wasn't any sound for a few seconds until he said "I am going in" and walk inside. At the second he set a foot in the shack, a flying knife almost got stuck on his throat. Quickly Zan turned in the direction of the missed attack and activated his gauntlet-shield. The view surprised him.

The shack was full of corpses. There were like six men on the floor with big cuts on their necks, heads and backs. Standing between them was a little figure of another man, who by his size seemed as younger as Zan. However, despite of his little figure he was holding 2 big battle axes in each hand.

This unexpected character was covering his face with a long piece of cloth, the only thing Zan could see was his dark brown eyes and a long reddish ponytail at the back of his head. He was wearing red leather clothes and big brown boots. Those seemed to be weak fine clothing; but for Zan, as a light armor warrior, he reached the conclusion that it was just a façade. Those were resistant well-made light armors. He was thinking about this when the unknown enemy found the perfect aperture and attacked him with his axes.

"Zan focus!" yelled Galvosh as he rushed into the shack putting before Zan wielding his big sword and repelling the masked warrior. With one movement of his sword, Galvosh put some distance between they and the enemy. Half-elf and orc circled the masked warrior and got ready for the next attack.

"Hey bandit! We already killed your comrades, so I suggest you to surrender. You will become our prisoner and we will take you to Edoras to receive a proper sentence. Either way, it is or going to prison for many years, or a certain dead right now" Galvosh said without compassion in his voice.

"They weren't my comrades! And I am not a bandit!" said the unknown little warrior with a furious tone. His voice was low but seemed to be a little forced, as if he was forcing himself to get that tone. These words made Zan and Galvosh freeze.

"Well, it is a bit obvious that they weren't your friends" said Zan looking at the corpses. "Did you kill them all by yourself? Did you betray them?"

"I don't betray them, I was never with them" answered the guy with anger in his voice. "I had my reasons to kill them".

"So who are you?" asked the half-elf. "Are you a mercenary like us?" He asked because of the fact that the masked warrior did look like a mercenary, despite of his size.

"No, money wasn't my reason to kill this time" responded the guy. He had his axes prepared, or to repel a new attack, or to make a suicidal assault against the half-elf and orc.

"So what was the reason?" ask the Zan raising his head and looking into his eyes. "Because you did our job, and in a way, we should thank you for that". He took off his hood and surprised the masked warrior with an unexpected friendly smile.

Those words confounded the masked warrior, as he was expecting much more violence of this two mercenaries. Who was this gray eyes… elf? His partner, the big one said Zan. Why the masked warrior did have the feeling that this "Zan" could look into the deepest of his soul? And in spite of that, smile like big brother would do to his little sister while trying to comfort her.

"What was the reason?" asked again Zan still looking into his eyes.

Cutting off his thoughts, because of the big pressure that those sharp green eyes, the masked warrior could only answer to the question.

"Revenge" he said with trembling voice. "Do you have a problem with that? I have been following specifically this sadistic bandit group for an entire year. You don't know anything about what I've been through".

Zan kept watching directly into his eyes.

"C_an he read minds? Just with a gaze to know my deepest secrets_" the masked warrior thought. "_No, I am sure elves can't do that. I know there are some powerful elves with magic, but they are commanding Rivendell and_ _Lórien, not working as mercenaries. So… Who is this Zan guy, who seems to have my age?_"

"Zan, leave him alone. Its fine, he did our job for free. Let's go back to Edoras to pick up the reward" Galvosh said to Zan cutting all the thoughts of the masked warrior.

"..."

"Zan" Galvosh said with a serious voice.

"Ok, our job is done" finally responded Zan.

Then he looked at the masked warrior again, but this time he didn't felt the strong pressure that invaded his soul before. It was like Zan had lost his mysterious capacities and become a simple man again, or elf by the look of his ears. This made the masked warrior regain all his forces and stand up without fear.

"So, if we have finished I will go away from here. Or do you guys have something more to say?" he said giving soft punches to the blade of one his axes. "No, well goodbye".

He walked to the door without giving even a glance to the half-elf and orc, but when he was passing through the portal his body shook as if he had remembered something very important. Something about life and death. The masked warrior turned around, trembling. Although you couldn't see nothing more than his eyes, you could tell he was pale.

"Do you killed the others?" asked with dead voice looking at both, Zan and Galvosh.

"Yes, there were eight. The mission is over" said Galvosh seriously. "With this… 6 you killed, there would be 14. The announcement said they weren't a big group, but strong, and they were hiding in the Firentholt Forest, southeast of Edoras".

"They were 19" said the masked warrior, looking at the floor and crunching his fists with anger. "Do you killed the leader?"

"No, none of the bandits we killed was the leader" replied Zan as everyone knew that bandits group's leaders had always something that identified them as such, like a gem or a prominent jacket. "We were going to check these corpses to see which was the leader and then take a proof back to Edoras to claim the reward. Now I see that we missed 5 of them including the leader".

"We still can claim the reward" said Galvosh without giving importance to the subject. "The announcement said to end the group, not to massacre every one of the members. Let's just take something of these bodies as the proof".

"You are right, but..." Zan answered looking at him. "It doesn't feel good to get rewarded for a half made quest".

While this two were discussing, the masked warrior was having a hell in his head.

"_I lost them. All this time, when I finally thought I got them. I knew this wasn't going to be easy, but I still had the thought… that it was going to finally end. When will I get the chance to rest?"_

"No!" he yelled stunning the half-elf and orc, who looked at him very puzzled. "Wha-what I mean is that I won't let them escape. This is personal, I got to take my revenge". The masked warrior blushed for showing that kind of scene in front of complete strangers. "Well… goodbye" and he turned around to get out of the shack.

"Hey! Wait!" called him Zan. "At least tell us your name".

The masked warrior turned again. This time he wasn't feeling the strange pressure that he felt before when Zan looked in his eyes. Still, he decided that it wouldn't harm to tell them the name he was using.

"My name is Allywi… I mean Allynar! Yes Allynar. And you are...?" Allynar asked.

"My name is Zan-Bolvag" Zan presented himself. "And he is my friend Galvosh".

Galvosh raised his hand and murmured a soft "Nice to meet you".

"Well, I am going now. I can't let the bandits get to far away or I will lose their tracks. Nice to meet, Zan and Galvosh" Allynar said farewell.

"Mmm… yes goodbye, take care of yourself and never forget the most important thing" Zan said this with a serious look in his face. "And I hope to see you again" and now he said this stammering and scratching his head.

Before Galvosh could say something similar; the masked warrior, muttering a "Me too", left the place as fast as a hare being chased by a wolf.

"Well, that was a bit dramatic" Galvosh said a few seconds after his getaway, curving his lips inside the black helmet. "Don't you think, Zan?"

"…"

"Zan?"

"..."

"Hey, Zan, are you listening to me?"

"Mmm… Oh, yes. I hear you" finally responded the half-elf. "I was just thinking about this guy. An entire year chasing a group of bandits for a personal revenge. That's not a good life, less a rewarded one".

"It isn't our responsibility. He chose his road" Galvosh said revising the corpses. "And we chose ours".

Zan felt a connection with this masked warrior. Both of them had a personal crusade in their hands, despite of being so young, but he didn't gave it more thought.

"Let use this as a proof" Galvosh said picking a gold ring from one of the bandits. "This… and that nice sword over there".

After collecting the loot, half-elf and orc gathered the bodies outside the shack. They made a pile and burned the corpses. It was the most honorable funeral they would get. Then, both returned to the place where they had their first encounter with the bandits. The thing was that the corpses were already piled over waiting to be burned.

"He might have do it for us, how nice" Galvosh putting his armored hands at the back of his head.

"Yes… he is" Zan said with a bit of sadness in his voice. "Very nice for a man living for vengeance".

They burned the corpses and walked their way out of the Firentholt Forest. The horses were tied in exact spot where they left them two hours ago. With the animals they would be back in Edoras in 2 or 3 hours. If they hadn't had them, the trip would have been more than a day.

Half-elf and orc began their way back home. Their way back to Edoras, the city that had maintain them for almost 11 months. Zan remembered when they left Mordor, his true home. Nobody in all Middle Earth would have the slightest idea of calling Mordor a good place, except for a few mordorians. He also remembered how he united all the orcs of Mordor into one pure nation. A nation not formed by monsters and murders, instead one created to live and let live. Nobody would think that Mordor was secretly looking forward into an alliance with all the 3 races, the humans, elves and dwarfs.

"The most important thing?" Galvosh repeated looking at the friend he cared and loved as a little brother.

"_There is one true goal, but before I get there, I need to do something first_" Zan was reflexing while galloping in one of the horses they rent in the morning.

First of all, I hoped you enjoy the second chapter of Son of Mordor – The New Dark Lord. I hope you weren't waiting for a battle scene like in the first chapter, but, although this chapter didn't had action I promise that there will be battles in most of the texts I upload.

I thought I could upload 1 chapter every 1 or 2 weeks, but know I think it will be every 1 to 3 weeks. I am sorry. I really don't have much time, but I promise I will make my best.


	3. Chapter 3

So sorry for the delay…. Here it goes

**Disclaimer: I don't own Middle Earth Tolkien's world, just the main characters of this fanfiction.**

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><p>Chapter 3<p>

They trip back to Edoras hadn't had any mishap, except for a very uneasy conversation.

"Why did you do that'" Galvosh asked Zan seriously when they slowed down the speed of the horses they rented in the morning. He said this on the Black Speech, their native language, instead of the Common Speech, as they were completely alone on the road.

"Do what?"

"You know what you did. You know what you used on Allynar" Galvosh said coldly.

Zan sighed.

"I know I shouldn't use 'it' too much, but…" Zan responded scratching the back of his head. He was also taking in the Black Speech. "…the darkness and brightness on him was something I just… couldn't ignore."

One of Zan's abilities, legacy of Sauron, was to see and sense the evilness in every living creature. He felt the evilness as a darkness flowing of the heart of the creature. Nevertheless, that skill gave him also the chance to felt the goodness. In the other hand, he felt this value as a white sparkle shining in the center of the heart. In all the living thing he had tried to test his sense, Zan could see something like 2 or more rings of lights that were evilness and goodness. For example, poor peasants would be covered mostly by the white sparkle, but still have a little darkness flowing in the mid center of their hearts. Bandits would be covered mostly by darkness, but in the center there was always some brightness.

'_Allynar had 3 rings_' Zan thought as he ride his horse over the dusty road. '_I have never seen that. On the borders brightness, then a lot of darkness, but in the center of the heart a little sparkle of brightness rising and fighting_'.

"…The thing is that you always complain if I took my helmet off, even for a minute to breathe some fresh air and feel the sun on my skin" Galvosh was saying. "And now you use fëa(1) to manipulate the mind of a stranger just for a banal whim".

"It wasn't just a whim" Zan explained Allynar situation. "Even without focusing on his soul, I could sense some irregularities".

"3 rings" Galvosh reflected. "Do you know the reason for this? Any idea?"

"I am still trying to figure it out" Zan answered. "But, I could bet that it is something associated with occulting an important secret or maybe having a big wish."

"A big wish?"

"I mean an ambition or wish that never leaves your heart" Zan explained. "You can't stop thinking about this and never do anything unrelated with your ambition. I know it sound exaggerated, but I feel that's the answer. Although, I could be wrong" Zan said the last line scratching his head.

"Trust your intuition" Galvosh said. "Men should follow what their instincts say, and you are a man with abilities that anyone else have, that intuition you have is unique. Use it well."

'_Trust your intuition: Drusul's words_' Zan remembered again, not without a bit of grief, his home. Not Mordor itself, his kingdom, but his first home. The little village over the north of the Sea of Núrnen, on the southwest of Mordor, where he passed his childhood together with Galvosh. A place that was totally left apart of the horrendous war that took part between The Free Races and Sauron's forces. Where humans and orcs lived as they were the same kind. There weren't many who knew that Mordor still had a men population. It was a third of the orc population, but they lived there and just a few didn't coexisted everyday with orcs. The village that raised him and he couldn't never get back again.

Zan and Galvosh had left Uruk-Laus(2); the capital they found together with many of the mordorian orcs and few humans, after uniting them as one pure nation, almost a year ago. The next day was anniversary of their leaving and the last week marked the 11 month of their arrival to Edoras.

'_A year since I started my mission. In a way I am similar to Allynar._'

Living in Mordor wasn't bad at all. The main problem was that there weren't many fertile soils to farm and the trading was… well, there wasn't any at all. No foreigner knew about Mordor actual reality, so nobody ever trade with a place they thought was dead and full of "monstrous orcs". For all Middle Earth it was an evil placed to be left apart forever.

'_If they knew. If they knew what I done. If they knew what we done. What we are creating. If they knew, we could be allies with all the free races. I must finish my mission._'

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><p>"Home, sweet, home" Zan said throwing himself in his bed with a smile on his face.<p>

"Are you really so tired?" Galvosh asked intrigued by the lack of energy of his partner. Even if they were in their private room, they couldn't talk in the Black Speech because in the city there was always the possibility to be heard. They were completely sure that almost nobody could recognize it, but they still talk most time in the Common Speech. In the empty road it was permitted, but in the city never.

It was after midnight, in a few hours the sun was going to rise. They were in their room of the inn where they had lived for more than 11 months already. The inn owner didn't collect a very high-priced rent, as they had taken a little room for to persons in the first floor with just a little chest for their belongings.

"No, but it feels good to lay down your head" Zan responded, although he sit up on the side of the bed and looked at Galvosh solemnly. "We have to talk about our mission."

Galvosh didn't answer, just sit on his own bed and took off his helmet. Zan continued.

"A year has passed since we left Mordor and its management to the Nurn Council, the five leaders I chose to control my kingdom in my absence. I think that the first part of our mission is done. We have the information, we know how the actual world of the free races is. That was the first part of our mission, to investigate and gather information. We reached the conclusion that no one has a clue of what is happening in Mordor and nobody will try to investigate it."

Zan stood up from the bed.

"It is time to do the second part of our mission, the most difficult one. We must go to Lothlórien and find out what she left me. After we will have to return to Mordor and plan the next strategy"

Galvosh meditate for a few seconds before he speaking.

"You are right, we have worked as mercenaries here for a long time. Even what we have been doing here is fundamental for the alliance with the free races, that other goal is more important to you".

'_As always he can read me as a book, even I am still teaching him how to read_' Zan thought smiling in his insides.

"I need this to learn more about my origins" Zan said with a serious expression. "The Knight of Umbar told me that if I went to Lothlórien I would find all the answers… all the answers and my true potential".

'_The potential to rule them all. Well the only place I want to rule is Mordor and my people_'.

"So you are saying that our time here in Edoras has ended" Galvosh concluded also standing up.

"I am afraid it does, but look at the bright side, the sooner we finish this, the sooner we return home" Zan responded and then he remembered the village. "…home".

Galvosh put an arm on his friend's left shoulder. Zan had his head lowered looking the floor; but when he felt the touch of the arm, now without any hard armor, of the one he considered his big brother, he raised his head. The orc patted the left side of his shoulder and smiled.

"Tomorrow we will look for somebody to guide us to Lothlórien. Now, get some rest" and with that words both men got into their respective beds for a deserved rest.

'_I am really thankful to have Galvosh with me, somebody I can always trust_' Zan felt sleep with those thoughts in his head.

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><p>"How is that there are no merchant carriage going to Lothlórien? Galvosh asked angry.<p>

"I am sorry, but there are no escort jobs for Lothlórien right now" answered the woman in charge of the Bulletin Board administration of the Mercenaries Guild of Edoras.

It was midday, Zan and Galvosh were looking for a job that could take them to Lothlórien. If they wanted to go there, they needed a guide, somebody who had already been there. Of course they could use a map, but it would take them more time to orient through Rohan geography. It was easy to get lost in big plains without any road or visual reference. Besides, something they realized when they started to live in Rohan was that it was very different of Mordor. They knew that long before they started their journey, but they didn't think that even the constellations were also different on that part of the world. So, in conclusion a trip to Lothlórien would take them almost a month or two.

'_Oh… this is bad_' Zan thought looking from the table he was sitting and drinking a beer. The Mercenaries Guild local had a tavern for that allowed mercenaries to interact with each other. '_But "this" is good_'.

The Mercenaries Guild of Edoras was a big house at the northern part of the city. It had three floors and was made of wood and stone on the base. If somebody could see it from above, he would see that it had a hexagonal form. From the outside you could see a terrace on the second floor. In the first floor there was the Bulletin Board, where mercenaries could get their jobs and after completing them receive the deserved reward, besides of the tavern. When you entered the place you walk in a big green carpet that cross all the room to the Bulletin Board counter. At the right was the tavern and at the left chairs and tables. The second floor was only allowed for Gold Swords or higher, and the third it was known that only Diamond Swords had the right to enter there. So, neither Zan nor Galvosh could go further than the first floor.

The reason why they went there was that they were looking for job, despite it had only passed one day since they completed the last one, that could take them to Lothlórien as escorting a merchant carriage or joining with others mercenaries to escort a noble, or any kind of wealthy man. Zen and Galvosh didn't fully belong to the guild, but their streak of well achieved jobs gave them a great repetition among Edoras. The Mercenaries Guild had about 15 years since it was founded by a group of jobless ex-generals that fought in the War of the Ring. This guild started as this little group in Minas Tirith and in less than 2 years it expanded to all Middle Earth. From all men cities to the far lands of dwarfs; even The Shire, the land of the hobbits, had a Mercenaries Guild.

The guild main goal was to find brave but jobless warriors, who wanted to get paid for their sword skill, and put them to work. So, the Mercenaries Guild worked to find all available jobs for warriors and put them on a Bulletin Board that anyone could take. Well, not anyone; if somebody wanted to take one of the jobs, or quest, they had to pass a combat test with veterans of the guild. Obviously, Zan and Galvosh passed with relative ease. Relative, the veterans are strong warriors, but they always hold their abilities a bit for the newcomer's sake. When you pass that test you receive a simple silver necklace with the logo of the Mercenaries Guild and your name in the back so no one else can use it in your place. With that the newcomer becomes a Silver Sword of the Mercenaries Guild and it give him the chance to take some of the quests from the Bulletin Board. Complete a job and receive more money that he would get talking directly with the employer. The guild charges more expensive, as it guarantee the employer that the job would be well done completed and in less time that it would take to find somebody by himself to the job. Silver Swords weren't considered members of the Mercenaries Guild, even it had an archive filled with their names and other vital information. They were just considered as friends or allies of the guild. Only the 2 higher ranks were seen as official members of it.

The higher ranks for the mercenaries of the guild were Gold Sword and Diamond Sword. After working for at least 4 years and accomplished more than 50 quests with a certain level of difficulty, the mercenary could attempt to the Gold Sword title. With this title the mercenary receive a higher income for each quest and could access to more worthwhile quests, but he also get new responsibilities. Gold Swords were requested to do at least 2 quest per month, if they failed on that they had to pay a special tax. To reach the next title, the Diamond Sword, the mercenary need to work for the guild for at least 10 years. Diamond Swords have access to the best paid quests of the region and with just one of them gain what a Silver Sword gain with 5. They aren't request to complete an exact number of quests each month, but they have to organize the guild, intervene with the search of quest for the lower ranks and test the newcomers, and much more responsibilities.

"No job" Galvosh said to the half-elf while shrugging.

"So we don't have anything else to do here" Zan stood up of the table, accommodate his gray cape he wearied over his light armor and lowered his hood. With one gulp he emptied what was left in the glass.

The hooded half-elf and totally armored orc exited the building and started to walk to the streets of Edoras, the capital of Rohan. Once, Edoras was a small community; nothing compared with Minas Tirith, the capital of Gondor. In the 17 years that had passed after the War of The Ring, Edoras expanded more than the double of his size at those times. The king had attempted to build a big wall around the city, but it was growing so quickly and the war was totally over, he decided to focus the funds in more buildings. The only defense they had, was a few small wooden walls spread all around the city. Edoras was located around a big hill in Rohan's plains, south of Fangorn Forest and north of Ered Nimrais (The White Mountains). They set off to the inn they were still registered, sat on the bar and ordered 2 beers, which were cheaper than drinking in the Mercenaries Guild.

"What are we going to do now?" Zan asked grumbling, still with his hood to not attract too much attention because of his little pointy ears.

"The only we can do now is to use a map and adventure ourselves to unknown lands for us" Galvosh opened his helmet just the necessary and gave a big gulp of his beer. "Another!"

"It will takes us too long, we can't afford to buy supplies for one month" Zan sighted. "And much less buy horses. We spent a big part of ours saving renting that week pair yesterday. If we travel the only thing for us is to walk. Of course it isn't much trouble for us, the only problem is the food. As we don't know that area we can't guarantee we will find something to hunt. More important, neither you nor I are any good at all with the bow" Zan raised his head and curved his lips into a little smile. "Someone with the blood of the elves that doesn't know how to use the arrow, isn't it ironic".

"You certainly don't have that skill" Galvosh responded containing a giggle, that even with his helmet on could be heard. "You're even worse than me and I couldn't hit a cow at 25 meters away. But, you receive other types of skills".

"Shh…" Zan hushed Galvosh. "Don't talk so loud about them". They asked the bartender, who many times had help them find some jobs without having to pass through the Mercenaries Guild, if he knew about somebody who was willing to go to Lothlórien.

"Hahahaha, there's nobody who will travel to Lothlórien right know" answered the bartender. "In these times with the increasing of bandits, merchants are willing to wait month until the Mercenaries Guild finish them off. No sir, you won't find anybody to hire you two. Of course you could hire somebody as guide, but as you told me you can't afford that."

'_I don't want to waste more time. I need to return to Mordor. So it means we will have use a map and tempt our fortune_' Zan thought with pessimism.

"You want to go to Lothlórien?" asked a voice at his left.

Zan turned his head and saw a short thin young man. He was wearing a dark brown deteriorated cape with a hood similar to Zan's. The half-elf had already sensed him when he first sit at his left in bar, but he didn't mind because their conversation with the bartender wasn't something that was needed to be hide of a stranger.

'_But he isn't and stranger. Where I have seen him before?_'

"You two are looking for somebody who knows his way in the road Edoras-Lothlórien, right?" asked again the hooded man.

"Yes we are. Can you help us?" Galvosh responded as Zan wasn't saying anything.

"I believe I can" responded the hooded man. "And I won't ask for any payment I also got my businesses north of here. We may collaborate. I can deal with the food and together we can defend better against bandits and the other dangers of Rohan's plains. So, do we have a deal?"

"Who are you?" Zan suddenly asked. "I am totally sure that I have seen you before. When and where?"

The hooded guy gave loud laugh with a high-pitched voice. For Zan, it wasn't a very masculine laugh.

"We met on Firienholt Forest, don't you remember?" he stood up of the bar and took off his hood to reveal…

"Allynar!" Zan and Galvosh raised their voices.

The guy that they met in the Firentholt Forest the day before. He was standing in front of them, with his red long ponytail and with a cloth mask as the first time they met. So in the city he joined the hood with the cloth mask. Interesting fashion.

"You weren't going for revenge or something like that?" Galvosh asked.

"Well… I lost the trace of the bandits so, I returned here" Allynar responded calmly looking at the rooftop and scratching the back of his head.

"But, you seemed to be really anxious with finding those bandits" Zan said disconcerted.

"I did? Really? I don't quit remember" Allynar said raising his hand as saying '_it couldn't be avoided_'.

"It's that true?" Zan was very surprised and sensed his insides. Surprisingly, Allynar had lost his 3 rings of light. Instead of the weird fact he saw yesterday, he had the regular 2 rings of light. All white on the outside and in the center a little black.

"Does it matter?" Allynar asked impolitely. "I am the solution to your problems and the only thing you ask is about my personal goals."

"Hey, Zan, let's have a talk" Galvosh grabbed the half-elf by the shoulder and took him to an isolated space of the inn. "Is there any problem with him? Do you sensed evilness or bad intentions on him?"

"No, it's not that. The thing is…" Zan lowered his and scratch his forehead. "I just have the feeling that he has way too many secrets, or at least a really big one."

"The 3 rings right?" Galvosh asked.

"He doesn't have them anymore. It is totally weird."

"I doubt he has bigger secrets than us" Galvosh said making Zan to remember their situation.

"Well, that's true" the half-elf said raising his head.

"Tell me, do you feel that it is bad idea to have Allynar as a partner just for one travel" the orc questioned Zan. "I always will trust your senses, so if you think that we shouldn't get near him, I will follow you" and in murmur he said: "My king, but most important friend".

Zan smiled.

"I don't believe that Allynar will try to harm us" Zan confirmed. "He must have something important to do in Lothlórien. I don't think he will cut our throats at night or something like that to get our money. Besides, we are almost poor. We have barely managed to survive with our rewards from the quests because of the price of that private room we took. Let's talk to him before he changes his mind."

Half-elf and orc returned to the bar and found Allynar talking to bartender.

"Have you decided something?" Allynar was placing an empty beer glass on the bar.

'_Did he ordered that when we left to talk and already drink it up? What kind of stomach and brain do you have?_' Zan thought amazed. Even after drinking that same type of beer for almost a year, it was something strong for him. It could be hard to believe, but the little beer that Mordor produce is very lighter compared to the Rohan's.

"We talked and decided to ask you to join us in our trip to Lothlórien" Zan said after a few seconds.

"And I accept" Allynar even with the mask looked happy. "When do we go?"

"Could it be tomorrow?" asked Zan.

"Tomorrow? Wow, you really are hurried about going to Lothlórien" Allynar said. "May I asked why?"

"We are looking for some relative of us" Zan responded. It was always better to mix lie with the truth to make it more believable. "But, more important, can you leave the city tomorrow at the morning."

"I don't have any problems with that" Allynar said. "We are going on foot, right?

"Yes, no money for horses" Galvosh intervene shrugging. Shrugging with a big armor could make strange metallic noises.

"We will meet at the entrance of the Mercenaries Guild at 5:30, a little before dawn" Zan planed.

"Very well. See you two tomorrow" and with those words Allynar left the inn as he had done in the shack of the Firenholt Forest.

Nevertheless when he was crossing the door, Zan sensed Allynar again and he saw something unexpected. Allynar had recovered the 3 rings. As the first time they met, there was big bright white ring on the border, then a black ring almost as big as the first one. Finally, on the center there was another white ring fighting the shadows of the second ring.

'_I will have to watch him closely. Even if there don't seem to be bad intentions, there is a big secret_' Zan thought when Allynar had already left.

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><p>1 Fëa: It means "soul" in one of the ancient elf languages. Feel free to look it up.<p>

2 Uruk-Laus: Referring to a Black Speech dictionary it means Orcs Tree. It is a name I made up.

Well this chapter took me more 3 weeks because I had many problems with a long homework, but it is now over. I am almost ending my last year, but I am losing a lot of time going to an academy to prepare for university (Monday to Saturday). So that's my excuse. Last chapter I said that chapters would take me 1-3 weeks. I promise that I will try to keep in that margin.

About the chapter. This is the longest till now, 4k words! I know that there weren't any fight or action scene and I am sorry for that. Nevertheless, I managed to explain a bit about "Son of Mordor" AU (Alternative Universe). This would have given you more bases to stand up (this sound good?) while reading the story. I know that there are many secrets in my fanfic but I have promised that all of them will be reveal. But, if you are a bit lost about the AU, make me a question on the review I will answer them, unless that my answer could spoil the story. I used the word "Lothlórien" a lot for this chapter, right? Well I know that it has too much names and many people knows it just as Lórien, but I thought that everyone on my AU should use the original name. As it every city is now opened to public, there shouldn't be reason for not calling it with its real name. I think I made a few mistakes in the English of this chapter. As it was longer and I tried to describe more the environment (something I am not really good, I am better writing action), there could be some problems on the writing. One more thing, I think that I could have "force" the plot into developing the story. I wanted to begin the important parts so this turned out to be. Sorry if any of this two things have bothered you.

Changes: I change a few things on chapter 2. One thing is that Allynar won't have a double-blade axe, instead he now has 2 regular battle axes for each. Dual wield, I think it is more awesome.

Well, that was all. Please Favorite, Follow, but most important: Review. I want to hear everyone opinion and suggestion. Even that I have most of the plot already in my head, there isn't any reason to not change an idea into something better. My story still doesn't have any follower, do you want to be the first? =). I know that it is my first fanfic and there are just 3 chapters till now, but it would make me happy to see someone following it.

Enough author's blablabla… See you in the next update, the real plot of the story will start now.


	4. Chapter 4

Sorry for the long delay, I had a lot of things. One of them an important test for my university admission. For this chapter it will be helpful if you use Middle Earth map. There is an interactive one if you look on google.

**Disclaimer: I don't own Middle Earth world, just the characters of this fanfiction.**

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><p><strong>Chapter 4<strong>

When Zan and Galvosh reach the entrance of the Mercenaries Guild, they were surprised to see Allynar already there.

"You are late. I have been waiting for you" he said with what he pretend to be annoyance, but everyone; even without Zan senses, could see that he was smiling inside of that mask.

"No, we are in time. You were early" Zan said with a yawn for the hour. He was wearing his usual light armor and had his always reliable mace in his belt. Under his armor he was wearing a sleeveless hauberk. It was always better to hide the armor for the enemy to attack carelessly. He had a satchel in his back, where he kept his shield gauntlet and other light but important objects as his canteen. Covering all his belongings and hiding his head with the hood he had his gray cape.

"We were both early, but you were earlier" Galvosh was as always with his black full body armor, but this time he had a big backpack that would take half the forces of any man, but for this orc is wasn't so much trouble.

Allynar was wearing the same cloths of the day before. A dark brown deteriorated cape, brown leather boots and gray tight pants that revealed his thinness. The most notable was his cloth mask that covered all his head except for the eyes and a big red ponytail that reached his thin waist. They couldn't see it, but Zan detected a pair of lumps that only could be Allynar's war axes. Only a fool would travel without any kind of defense that could be an escort or a good weapon.

'_You never take that thing of your face, do you? Are you also an orc?_' Zan thought trying to imagine that crazy coincidence as he gave a glance at his full armored friend.

"It's all set up?" Zan asked his companions, the old one of many year and the new one of just one day. The new group revised their basic supplies for the journey.

"Ready" responded both, Galvosh and Allynar.

"Well, let's go to Lothlórien" and with Zan's words, the group started their journey.

They began to walk by Edoras towards its limits. Zan and Galvosh memorizing it with a bit of grief because of the 11 months they had live in this city. Of course, this farewell wasn't as sad as it was when they left Mordor, but they still felt that they needed to give a last glance to everything. The roads, the buildings, the wooden walls, the people… Allynar seemed to not mind about leaving Edoras. Leaving now meant that he wouldn't get the chance to return until the problems of the region were solved. So it was something weird for the half-elf and the orc.

The group soon reached the limits of the city. Many people, especially other mercenaries, greeted Zan and Galvosh on the way. Who wouldn't greet the Black Armor Mercenary, who was said that could destroy a man skull with one good punch; and his partner the hooded dark half-elf, who was said that could run faster than a well-trained hound?

'_We can't do that!_' both used to think when they heard those kind of rumors. Despite of the fact that they only lived in Edoras for less than a year, they had managed to get a massive reputation. When they first started to work as mercenaries crazier rumors started to travel among taverns. Rumors about a big man that never let anyone see his face with a full body black armor, who was taller than a horse standing in 2 legs; and his partner, an elf from Lothlórien with a strange kind of magic that could hypnotize you. Luckily the rumors exaggerations started to decrease, but still there was a lot of nonsense. At least they stopped saying that Zan was an elf; that was what people thought when they saw his pointy ears, but if you have seen an elf before, you will notice the difference. Regular elves had pointy ears that were bigger than men's. While, Zan had pointy ears, but his had the same size of men's.

They started to walk following the Snowbourne River to the north-east when they finally left Edoras. The half-elf and orc gave a last glance to the city and kept walking. Rohan was a land full of beautiful grass plains and hills. Trees weren't very common except a few ones near the rivers, or in the two forests of the region: Fangorn and Firenholt. With a clear sky, they were all by foot, walking under the merciless middle sun of summer.

'_How can this guy survive the sun with that armor_' Allynar thought looking at Galvosh, who he didn't know was an orc born and raised in Mordor, where there is a hotter climate in summer.

"So… guys tell me, where are you from? Allynar asked trying to get into a conversation.

"Oh, well I am glad you asked" Galvosh said happy to have the chance to chat, as his regular partner didn't talk that much. He remembered the story he and Zan had agree to tell if they had to face similar questions. "I was borne in Minas Tirith, Gondor. I lived there until I reached the age of 8, two years after the end of the war, when I my father took me to Cair Andros"

Zan said nothing, moreover he slowed down his pace and was getting left behind by a few meters.

"You had 6 years when the war ended? Minas Tirith and all Gondor suffered the most in the war against the Dark Lord" the masked warrior said. "You must have had a tough childhood."

'_His son is behind you, do you ever thought that?_' Zan thought ironically. '_Mostly his legacy._'

"Not so bad" Galvosh said, smiling inside his helmet. He was remembering well what assayed with his partner. "Most of the children and women left the capital to... the south-west and were keep away from the constant battles to contain Sauron troops" the orc couldn't help looking back at Zan. The half-elf just gave him a knowing smile. "It wasn't so bad, but I couldn't see my father in many years. We didn't even know in all those years if he was alive. I returned to the city with my mother after the war ended and lived there with my father, as a family until he took me to Cair Andros."

"Cair Andros was a very important strategic point in the war, but now it mostly a place that merchants and other types of travelers cross when they go to or from Minas Tirith; full of inns, markets and business" Allynar meditated in high voice. "Right now it could be considered a little town managed by soldiers. Well, they are now more administrators than warriors. Hmm... Sorry if I offended you"

'_He is still forcing his voice again_' Zan reflected in his mind. '_Why he try to change his voice?_'

"Don't worry about it" Galvosh said casually without giving importance to the matter, as it was all a big lie. "Nevertheless, they are the legacy of one of the best warriors of Middle Earth. I am talking about…

"The Rangers of Ithilien! I know that" Allynar exclaim with self-satisfaction. You could see that even with the masked. "After the war, King Aragorn gave them the leadership of the fort in reward of their bravery and hard work in the war protecting the surroundings of Minas Tirith." He finished talking, but as he realized that he had cut off his talk partner, he blushed and apologize (again).

"It's ok, you are well-informed" was Galvosh reaction.

'_This guy really have a lot of information_' Zan thought still keeping himself left out of the lively conversation between those two. '_We have investigated so much, we stay more than a month in Minas Tirith before we came to Edoras. We have asked many wise men and hang around taverns to get information of many people as possible. How this guy, who seems not even know how to read, can talk with that much freedom and confidence about those cult facts?_'

"My father belonged to the Rangers of Ithilien" Galvosh was telling to Allynar. "He fought among the territories between Osgiliath and Minas Morgul. When he heard that Cair Andros now belonged to the Rangers of Ithilien, he thought it was a good idea to take me there to teach me how to be a warrior."

"I thought that the Rangers of Ithilien were specialist in light armor, daggers, arrows and stealth" Allynar expressed thoughtful. "But you are the most armored mercenary I have seen in my entire life. And it would be hard for me even to raise that sword" he pointed Galvosh's sword that was inside a scabbard in his back, between the body and the backpack.

"No, that's not completely true" Galvosh responded. "In Cair Andros you we can choose any type of specialization."

"Oh! I didn't know that…"

"When do we get to the Ondió River?" Zan asked indifferently from the back, interrupting their conversation.

"At this pace, I believe… we will reach there in three days" Allynar said giving him an upset look. Zan recognized that even with the mask. "There are like 63 miles (100 km aprox) from Edoras to the intersection of the two rivers. You told me that you didn't bring food for dinner, just for midday. Well, we can fish some trout anytime we want. I have my fishing equipment in my satchel. With me you will never suffer hunger" he said this placing his fists in his waist.

"That sounds wonderful! I haven't eat fish in a while. Don't you think Zan?" Galvosh said trying to cheer him up. '_Why is he _behaving so coldly? He isn't very chatty, I know that. I have known that since the beginning. Either way, he never behaves in a way that could make the rest hate him.'

"I guess" was his only answer. "From there, how far is Lothlórien if we stick going north?

"I think… like 300 miles (483 km aprox)" Allynar responded without looking back.

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><p>The group keep walking. They walked for a few hours without exchanging any word. It was like Zan had killed the talk with coldness against his companions. Galvosh was planning to have a serious conversation with him alone later. So in the end they kept walking along Snowbourne riverside until the sun had reached his higher point. The group sat down and had a filling snack for the rest of the day. Nevertheless, Allynar walked away with the excuse that he preferred to eat alone his own food. He sat at the other side of the hill they were resting where both parts couldn't see or hear each other.<p>

"What are you exactly doing, you moron?" Galvosh hit Zan in the back of his head with his palm. It wasn't with force, but with the gauntlet it hurt a lot.

"Ouch! That hurt" Zan complain rubbing his injured body part. "Hey! Did you just hit the king of Mordor?"

"Oh! You are the king of Mordor?" Galvosh said bad-tempered making fun of the half-elf. "I didn't notice that because you aren't behaving like the one all Mordor swear loyalty. What is happening to you? You never act so cold against people, even if they are unknown to you. Is all about that 3 rings nonsense?"

Zan kept rubbing the back of his head for a while until he meditated well his answer.

"He is hiding something important. I know that we shouldn't make a big deal about other people private life, but…" Zan began to scratch the back of head. "Yes, it is related to the 3 rings and the fact he always wears a mask. Nevertheless, I know I haven't been nice with him."

Galvosh put off his helmet revealing his orc face. People believed that orcs were all ugly and monster like, but the orcs of the actual Mordor weren't like that. If you had seen Galvosh, you wouldn't run away or unsheathe your sword just for the sight. He had many men's features, the only difference was his bigger body and darker skin. In fact, Galvosh could be considered better looking than some human men.

"You should apologize to him" the orc looking directly into Zan eyes.

Zan sighted.

"I know."

They ate their supplies which contained several loaf of bread and cheese, and finished the liquid in their respective canteens. The rested for an entire hour and then they went to look for Allynar, well Zan went to look for him because Galvosh took the job of refilling their canteens. Zan found Allynar lying down on the foot of the hill with his arms covering his face because of the sun.

"Hey! Allynar let's go" Zan called him from top of the hill thinking in apologizing in that time.

"…"

"Hey do you hear me?"

".."

"Allynar!" Zan shouted noticing that he wasn't hearing.

Instead of standing up and responding with a simple "I am going", Allynar rolled over and lay face down and from that odd position yelled: "Wait for me a bit!"

"Why?" Zan asked him.

"I... I…. I need to pee!" Allynar responded from his weird position.

Zan felt puzzled for his strange behavior and noticed something. Allynar had taken off his mask. Zan could have run down the hill and expose Allynar identity, but he didn't have the right to do that. If Galvosh wasn't going to show his face, why Allynar would have to? Instead the half-elf responded with an "ok" and went over were Galvosh was waiting for them.

"And Allynar?" Galvosh asked.

"He needed to pee" was Zan's only response. "Let's wait…"

"I'm back!" Allynar said in a cheerful tone cutting Zan's words.

"You didn't need to pee?" asked Zan, doubtful because he gathered with them in much less than a minute.

"How long I pee isn't your problem elf!" Allynar responded changing his tone to an impolite one. "Are going or not?"

Zan nodded saying: "I am a half-elf… Hey! Don't dare to walk away ignoring me!"

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><p>The night came and they set a camp with all the gear Galvosh had carry all the way in his backpack. Zan and Galvosh were in charge of building the fire while Allynar was in the river fishing to provide the group with food. The group didn't talk much and Zan didn't try to apologize to Allynar. Mostly because he was also angry for his rudeness towards him since the break. However it was a quiet night. Despite of the three took turns to watch for the security of the one night camp. They couldn't know if a group of bandits or similar would try to attack them while sleeping. Fortunately nothing happened. In the end it was a peaceful night.<p>

The next day was mostly the same. They continued their way following the Snowbourne riverside without any setback. The only important thing that should be mentioned was that Allynar lost his cheerfulness. Most talks were between Zan and Galvosh. It was the same the next day, two days since their leaving of Edoras, except for what happened in the night.

It was Zan turn to watch the camp while Allynar and the orc were sleeping. The half-elf was sitting on a rock a few meters from the river. He had a few stones in his hand. With a good movement of his arm, he threw one of the stones to the river flow. The stone bounce one, two, and three before it got lost in the darkness of the waters. He repeat the same process until he run out of stones.

"Tch… I won't look for more" Zan muttered looking at the dark sky above his head. "Nice moon we have today."

He looked at the two sleeping people behind him, Galvosh and Allynar. Zan checked their hearts with his power. Totally normal. An almost completely white shine with just a dot of darkness in the center. When he used his senses with sleeping people, this was the regular result, unless they were having nightmares. When he talked to Galvosh about what he sensed in everyone else, he usually talked like he checked their hearts. Nevertheless, the heart is a biological organ, it couldn't contain the person personality. So, what Zan checked was their fëa, their soul. Every living creature poses a fëa, so if there was someone with the power of sensing their darkness or brightness, this one could foresee everyone intentions and personality. That person was Zan.

'_If I can drill better my senses, I will have the possibility to take better decisions for Mordor. I will know who I can trust. Nobody will have the smallest chance of betraying me._'

Zan shook his head forcefully. That kind of thoughts were more of a tyrant than of the king he promised to be. To forget them the half-elf grabbed his gauntlet and began to inspection it. He had received that protection masterpiece of the orc who raised him and Galvosh, Drusul. A smile was born in Zan's face. It wasn't a weapon, it was the best shield. Drusul didn't want to encourage him into more fights, but he knew that Zan would have to fight for his goals. So, he entrust him the gauntlet-shield, which he mentioned was really ancient relic. It was the last gift Zan received from Drusul. His last gift. The smile disappeared from Zan's face.

Suddenly Zan's senses woke up. Something was near, and it was dangerous. Zan grabbed his mace and put his gauntlet on his left arm. He stood over the rock that had been his sitting spot and began to watch the darkness. What was coming? While Zan did this, pair of lights quickly crossed the darkness of the plain near the camp. A pair of little very close together yellow lights. Eyes. Beast eyes. Thanks to his sharp hearing, Zan could heard a few couple of quick footsteps near. There were at least three beasts. How many more were hiding?

Zan jumped of the rock and woke up his companions. He told them about the situation. The trio of warriors stood up clashing their backs to avoid being attacked by a blind spot. They rose their respective weapons and looked into the darkness. The group could hear the growls and barks of the beasts, realizing that their prey had discover them. More brilliant eyes were staring from the darkness, away from the light of the fire they made before. The first attack could come from any direction.

"Zan, where are they?" Galvosh asked covering Zan and Allynar blind spot.

"They keep circling us. That, plus the darkness don't let me find their precise position."

"Hey! What are you talking about?" Allynar asked without looking at them. "Don't talk too much and prepare for battle."

A few seconds went by. The growls and footsteps kept getting louder as the beasts got closer to the fire. Closer to them.

"Wargs" was the only thing Zan could say before the attack began.

A big quadruped beasts bigger than any wolf jumped from the darkness. He attacked Allynar, seeing he was the smallest of the group.

"Spread!" Zan yelled and the group obeyed.

The separation gave Allynar the possibility to dodge the warg to side and then put behind it. When the animal reached the floor, Allynar jumped from behind with his axes. One of the lethal weapons steel ended at the neck of the animal making blood splash from the wound. Allynar maintained the steel on the animal neck, despite of his tries to get free, and twist it strongly ending the suffering of the warg. In that moment another warg jumped to Allynar, seeing he was distracted, but before he could cover with his other axe, a metal arm received the bite of the beast.

It was Zan left arm, which was covered with his gauntlet-shield. "Don't dare to scratch it" he warned the warg even he knew that the gauntlet wouldn't get anything more than some washable dirt. The animal lost teethes were more in danger. "Either way doggy, I don't like you to lick this. It was a gift. So goodbye." And with that farewell, Zan activated the mechanism of the gauntlet. The shield deploy from the sides and with the position of bite the head of the warg almost explode. The animal died before it fell to the floor.

Zan turned around to check his companions. Galvosh was fighting two wargs. The first who dare to attack the big armored orc run quickly and bit his leg. Bad idea. Galvosh armor was made with the best mordorian steel, it wasn't as tough as Zan's gauntlet, but a warg bite couldn't break it. So, the animal ended in a bad position. Galvosh stabbed his sword in the warg's neck pining it to the floor, where the animal twisted in pain a few seconds before the orc retrieved the big sword. The warg lost all his forces and didn't stand up again. His partner tried to bite Galvosh side while he retrieved the sword, but the big orc gave him a strong kick in his snout that threw it to the floor. Before the animal could stand up again, Galvosh swung his double-handed sword and cut his head off.

Another warg jumped trying to bite Allynar neck, but with a fluid movement he managed to cut the animal in the middle of the air. The blood splashed in his clothing. The group kept fighting the wargs. Zan blocked the attacks with his gauntlet-shield and broke the heads of the animals with his always reliable mace, which he swung with precise coordination. Galvosh waited for the attack of the animals and when they were near, he stabbed and cut them with his mighty great sword. Allynar, instead of waiting, took the initiative and run against the wargs cutting them with his battle axes. In the end, the trio killed 17 wargs in less than five minutes. They were more tired than before, but there was a reward for the battle.

"Now we can eat something more than fish" Galvosh said while cutting the stomach of one of the wargs.

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><p>Chapter 4 is finished. It really took me long to update. The problem was that I had to study as I mentioned before, but there was something more. I began to write another fanfic. This time a crossover. It has received a really great feedback, very different from this one. So, what I am trying to say is that I would like to see a one or two reviews each chapter. Even if it is complaining or giving suggestion, it still will make me happier to continue with this story. For a rookie in uploading stories what I received in my other fanfic was something tremendous that made me feel very happy.<p>

I don't know when I will upload the next chapter of this story but for now… Fav, Follow and most important: Review. Sebaspe out!

P.S

I put a new cover. It is a drawing I made of how I think Zan should be. It isn't a masterpiece but it can help.


	5. Chapter 5

Long time since uploading this, but it is still on air. Remember that **fëa **is similar to the soul in the LOTR universe. But, because I have to always to copy paste every time I want to put that word, I will change it to just _Fea_.

**Disclaimer: I don't own Middle Earth world, just the characters of this fanfiction.**

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><p><strong>Chapter 5<strong>

Three days passed since the warg's attack. Their great victory against those beasts had developed among the group a less coldly relationship. However, Zan never apologized for his previous bad behavior against Allynar in those three days. He had, in part, forgot about it and never found a moment to bring that serious theme.

The companions had a regular schedule. When the sun was up, they were, as always, walking along Galvosh. In the breaks, Allynar never ate with them. Everyday he took his part of the lunch, a big portion Zan noticed, and ate it alone in a place they couldn't see. In the night it was the same until two of the trio went to sleep while the remaining one watched over.

"Allynar, when do you think we will reach Entwash?" Zan asked him that morning after restarting their trip.

"I think… (_YAWN_) this night" Allynar said without his low forced voice he normally used, while he covered his mouth.

"Nice" Zan replied. Even that he was getting more used to the change of voices of his new companion, he was still interested in them. However, he didn't want to get on his bad side again, so he didn't ask. Zan turned his face towards Galvosh. "Do we have warg meat left?"

"A little" the disguised orc said. "But it will be over in the middle day break. This means that we will depend on your fisher skills again, Allynar."

Allynar gave a little laugh that was darkened by his cloth mask. "What would you do without me?" Even with the mask, the other two could easily notice that he was smiling.

Zan liked that, and Galvosh even more. The mood of the team was better than ever and the trip was going without any mayor setbacks. Soon they would reach the Entwash River. Then they would just need to follow the river to the north and go around Fangorn. After that head north a little more and they would be in Lothlórien.

'_But my trip won't end there. I still need to find her location._' Zan reflected while walking. '_I must talk to him. He is the only one who can give me a hint about her location._'

"Hey, elf" Allynar tried to get Zan's attention. "You never told me where you come from."

"Indeed. You only know about Galvosh, but you also haven't told us anything about your past. And, how many times have I told you? I'm a half-elf."

"That's true, Allynar" Galvosh added. "What about if Zan tell you of his past and then you do the same?"

"Deal" Allynar agreed walking besides Zan. "I want to hear."

"Al right. How should I begin?" Zan recalled the fake story he made long ago. "I was found by the Rangers of Ithilien when I was a baby of less than a year. Nobody knew what happened to my parents. I don't know if they abandoned me or if they were killed."

Zan looked to the floor, not because of sadness, the story was a lie. Instead he did that to trick Allynar. And it worked because the masked boy look away. "Sorry, I didn't know" he muttered.

A little evil smile rose in Zan's insides. "The Rangers took me to Cair Andros the next year. There I met Galvosh" Zan nodded in Galvosh direction. The orc raised his hand and waved it at them. Zan proceed. "There weren't many kids. I was alone, but Galvosh. He had been since the beginning like a big brother for me."

"Why do you left Cair Andros to become mercenaries?" Allynar asked.

"Well, last year I get an information about some people. That information gave me a hint to find these people or at least to know about them. Searching for these people was the reason that made me left Cair Andros and go to Edoras. Galvosh offered to accompany me without asking anything in return. We stay there and worked as mercenaries for many months until I found another clue about these people. And that clue is our reason to visit Lothlórien."

Allynar took a few seconds to absorb all the information. "And these people you are looking for are…?"

Zan looked at him with a serious expression. "My parents."

Allynar was speechless. He never thought that Zan could have that kind of story. The story a boy searching for his parents with the only help of a very good childhood friend. Although, Zan couldn't be considered a boy, because he was 17 years old.

"It's… quite a story" Allynar muttered. "Thank you for telling me."

Zan was starting to feel bad for fooling Allynar in that way. However, it was necessary. "If we are going to travel together we should now each other."

"I know" the masked boy said. "Now I should tell my story, right?"

"Yes, it would be nice to hear something of you" Galvosh said while Zan nodded.

Allynar looked at the sky. "I was born in Moria 16 years ago, a year after the War of the Ring and the beginning of the Fourth Age. I was raised in Moria, a few months after it was retrieved by the dwarfs leaded by Durin VII and after they settled there."

"Are there men in Moria?" Galvosh asked.

"Yes, there are" Allynar replied. "Many men were sent by Rohan to help the dwarfs expel the goblins that took Moria long ago. After the battles a bunch of them decided to stay there. Continuing the story… Two years ago I came with my father to Edoras as merchants. Nevertheless, he got sick and in a few weeks he die from that devilish sickness. The sickness prevented him to at least return to Moria before his death. I have been alone in Edoras since that day."

"And your mother?"

"She died giving birth to me."

"Oh, I'm sorry" Galvosh apologized. "You have been alone for two years? Wow, that's sound tough. Why you didn't try to return home? You couldn't?"

"I could have, but without my father I… I stopped thinking of Moria as my home. So I stayed in Edoras and, 2 years later, here we are…" Allynar suddenly shivered and stopped walking. He put his hands on his sides where he had his axes.

"What's wrong?" Galvosh also put his hands over his own weapon and took a fighting stance, in case Allynar had sense some danger approaching.

The masked boy looked in every direction, looking for the source that originated that feeling on him. He didn't found anything whatever he looked. However, he recalled a similar sensation from a few days ago. Allynar turned his gaze over Zan.

What Zan was doing was stare at Allynar. Giving him a look like he was checking his insides.

"What're you looking at?" the masked boy asked rudely.

It passed a few seconds before Zan answered. "Nothing. I was just thinking something."

"You need to stare at me like spy would do to the letter of a general from the opposing team, to think about that something?" Allynar was starting to get annoyed.

Zan didn't answered, he just keep glaring at the masked boy.

'_Everything was so good. Why it had to turn this way?_' Galvosh thought pessimistic. '_What's with you, Zan?_'

Zan's silence and continuous glaring infuriated Allynar, but before he could say something:

"I'm sorry" Zan apologized surprising his companions. "It's just that when I have something in my mind, the rest of the world just disappear."

It was a lie, another one, but it calmed him down. "Whatever" Allynar began to walk again opening the march and got his hands from his weapons.

Galvosh, knowing that he shouldn't ask in that precise moment, followed him.

'_3 rings_' Zan meditated. The reason why he was glaring at Allynar was that the three rings of light had appeared again. He was trying to figure out why. '_They appeared when…. He started to talk about his past._'

When Zan sensed somebody with his powers, he usually just made a little check in their souls. It could be compared to just poke a little with a not pointy needle. So the being who is sensed don't feel anything unless it concentrate his own senses. However, that was when he just wanted to know if their light ring was bigger than his dark one, or vice versa. This time, which was the first time since long ago, Zan dug deeper into Allynar's _fea_. For that reason, the masked boy noticed that something weird was over him and tensed.

'_Either way, he must have a sensitive fea if he noticed so quickly about me. But, that isn't important. The important subject here is that I found a link to the three rings mystery._'

It was related to Allynar past.

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><p>At nightfall the group finally reached the intersection of the two rivers, the Snowbourne and Entwash. The Entwash, or Onodló which is his Sindarin (<strong>AN one of the many elf languages**) name, is a river that rises in the Misty Mountains and cross the Fangorn Forest. Then it head south-west, dividing Rohan land into West Emnet and East Emnet. It continues in that direction until it reaches Cair Andros and join with the Anduin River.

This place is a spot that most travelers visit in their trips around the region of Rohan. Thanks to the crossing between a big river like the Entwash and the Snowbourne, the spot had turned to be a rather big pond. Although, the depth of the water body and the regular currents prevent it from becoming a popular swimming place among the people of Rohan and its surroundings populations. However, it was popular indeed because of the good catches that fisherman bring every time they went to work there.

Sometimes, because of the increase of water coming from the Misty Mountains and the rain, the water raises producing a few smaller ponds around the area. Because of that, many trees had been growing near the intersection crating a small forest full of ponds.

Immediately, after helping to arm the camp, Allynar took off to fish in the intersection pond. He was excited to prove if its reputation of being an amazing fishing spot was true. Although, it was a surprise not founding any fisherman trying to get the best catches for their business.

"Is likely to be due to increase of bandits in the region" Galvosh thought in high voice.

Allynar came back an hour later with two little fishes and another moderately big. The last one was indeed a full pink and fresh salmon which was received by growl from everyone stomach. They cooked the three prays and the masked boy served the food. However, when it was Zan's turn to receive the highly expected food, Allynar just gave him the head. The half-elf was going to complain, but a little gaze from Allynar's brown eyes stopped him like a concrete wall would do with a horse.

'_I think I'm lucky to get food today_' the actual lord of Mordor thought anxious.

Galvosh, looking at the scene, didn't know whether to laugh or try to help his friend and king. He decided to just keep eating that delicious salmon, which he had got a good part. '_Tasty…_'

The companions ate their food without any rush, warmed thanks to the campfire. Except for Allynar, who as always left with his part of the food to eat far away from the other two. Zan and Galvosh kept thanking him in their insides, because in that way the orc could took off his helmet to eat.

"Now, (_BURP_) who are going to watch over tonight?" Galvosh asked his two companions after the delicious dinner.

"Yesterday it was you and Allynar" Zan said. When the trio first began their trip, they decided that two would do the watch each night, instead of the three. The reason, it would be simpler to just wake up one person in the middle of the night than two.

"And the day before you and Zan" Allynar added.

"So, today will be me and Allynar" Zan concluded picking up his gauntlet-shield to have it in hand. "Allynar, I can watch first. I will wake you up in the accorded hours."

The masked boy just nodded and head to sleep in his blanket. Galvosh did the same with his own.

"Sleep well, Galvosh" Zan told his friend. There was no need to say the same to the masked boy, mostly because he wouldn't sleep the entire night long.

The half-elf got away from the camp to have the chance to watch over from a better point. He walked 12 meters and sat with his back leaning against a tree. He was closer to the rivers, so he could hear the flowing of the water. Those sounds calmed him, but not in a way to increase his wants to rest. It just made him feel in peace.

'_But there no peace in the end_' Zan thought about his people, his kingdom. '_If the free races knew about the orcs living in Mordor, building a capital, growing crops, uniting its people. They won't think or hesitate…_' the half-elf shivered when he thought about that true fact. '_They will attack us. All of them. Humans from Gondor and Rohan. Elves from Lothlórien, Rivendell and Mirkwood. Dwarves from the Iron Hills, Moria, the Gray Mountains and the Lonely Mountain._'

All of them would turn against Mordor. Without any kind of pity all Middle Earth would massacre every habitant of that place that brought them so much sorrow and suffering. Zan wasn't mad at them, he was scared. It was impossible for his kingdom to even resist one day all Middle Earth joined force, now that it was so united. That was in the end the most important reason of why he had left his home.

'_I need to find the way to expose our existence. But, it has to be in a way that demonstrate that the only thing we are searching is friendship and peace. We must proof them that we want to leave in peace along them. That we want our native people, the orcs, to walk freely in the Middle Earth without receiving arrows from every villager. If they promise us that, we will open the doors of Mordor also for them._'

While he was immerse in those kind of thoughts, Zan didn't saw the hours passing right in front of him. When he looked up to the sky, the half-elf was surprised to see that the moon was in a different position since the last time he looked at it. Zan stood up and went to look for Allynar. He found him sleeping soundly and, as every moment of the day, with his mask put on.

"Allynar" Zan shook his body and less than three seconds later the masked boy opened his brown eyes.

The masked boy stood up and picked up his axe without saying a word.

"Why are you doing this?"

Allynar looked at Zan with an annoyed expression. "Um… What do you mean?"

Zan sighted. "I mean, why did you offered yourself to guide to Lothlórien?"

Allynar didn't answered.

"We told you that we couldn't pay you anything."

".."

"The only reason why you would offer yourself is that you also have interest in going to Lothlórien in this time of the year" Zan continued. "So it is quite obvious that you saw an opportunity when we entered the bar looking for a guide. You found an opportunity to increase your chances of surviving all the way to the elf settlement."

"So what?" Allynar replied rudely looking directly into Zan's gray eyes. "Did you ever believed that I was doing this to help some unknown guys?"

"Of course not. Nor Galvosh nor I ever believe you were guiding us just for some good and selfless will."

"And why are you bringing this up?"

"I want to know what you are up to" Zan replied coldly.

"Why should I tell you?" Allynar was furious with that meddlesome guy.

"…I need to know the intentions of my companions. That will be the only way to end this trip in peace"

'_Because I want to know what was with those three rings of light in your interiors_' was what Zan wanted to say, but he couldn't.

"…"

"It's because of your revenge" it wasn't a question.

Allynar eyes opened widely. His hands clenched into fists and began to tremble at his sides. "Yes."

"Living for revenge isn't a good thing" Zan said in a calm and gentle voice that surprised Allynar that finding a dragon in the toilet would be less unexpected. "But, living without an objective is worse."

Allynar looked at Zan's eyes, that mysterious half-elf that he met just a week ago. He told him his story. Even that Zan was cold as the snow, he seemed to be interested and even worried for him. He wanted to get his trust and make him open himself. But that couldn't be possible.

"My objective is revenge" was Allynar answer. This time his voice wasn't any forced. It was in a high but barely audible. Most important, it was a sad voice.

"And after that do you have another objective?"

Allynar looked away cutting their eye contact. Then he walked away from the camp leaving Zan alone except for a sleeping Galvosh.

"I guess no" the half-elf sighted and went to bed. Several minutes passed and he couldn't find the rest he was looking for.

Why was he so worried about it? Zan had his reasons. Since he first began this crusade, less than 2 years ago, using his powers to sense other people had been his key to win in the most difficult battles. Which were those battles? The battles that constantly appeared in his head between two powerful armies. The army of trusting somebody else, and the army of distrusting of that somebody.

In the time since he first discovered his powers, thanks to them he had received a hint that let him know which army should win. Zan's power proofed to be always reliable. Every time he had follow his senses, things had turned in a good way. However, there were occasions in which he thought of distrusting his senses. All those times things turned to be wrong.

Zan still remembered when, not long ago after killing a big band of bandits, the last one alive claimed him for mercy. This bandit had Zan's age and many tears were flowing from his eyes. "Please! I'm going to change! I promise! Just… don't kill me!" he told him. Zan sensed his _fea_ and discovered a big dark ring surrounding a little light one. An evil _fea_, an evil being. However, Zan forgave him and walk away. He didn't noticed how the bandit got a dagger from the back of his pants and almost didn't count it, as he barely noticed the incoming attack.

He almost die because he distrusted his sense. His sense was the summit of what could be called his instincts, perception and intuition. With that there wasn't anybody that could trick him. Or that was what he thought until he met Allynar. The three rings phenomenon was something Zan had never seen before. But, there was good new after all that time in which he broke his head trying to figure out what was the meaning of that.

'_I'm starting to get it, finally. Everything is related. Allynar's past, his revenge, even his personality… all those factors produce the three rings phenomenon. I'm almost there, but I need to know all the truth behind._'

That was the only way he could help Allynar.

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><p>All right Ch 5 finished. I discovered two things when writing it: I'm very bad writing drama scenes and same for describing geography. Sorry for that, gonna try to improve. But, if there is somebody that is more experienced in describing geography, I would thanks any kind of advice.<p>

The concept of sensing the goodness (represented by white light) and the evilness (represented by darkness) is something I invented when I first began to write this. I have try to explain some of Zan's powers in some of the chapters till know. Still, if you have a doubt about them, don't hesitate in asking me. About the 3 rings, that's something I will be explaining in the next chapters.

Something more. I believe that there are a lot of grammar mistake in this chapter. Although I believe to have a good level of English (remember that I was born in a Spanish speaking country), I can always made mistakes. If you find one please point me and I fix it and I will try to not repeat the same error again.

Next chapter will be a very important one for the plot and the characters. Either way… Fav, Follow and most important: Review. Sebaspe out!


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